Fireplace damper actuating tool

ABSTRACT

A tool to open and close a fireplace damper and to operate also as a securing means to prevent fluttering of the damper due to wind.

[451 Sept. 30, 1975 Ammons [54] FIREPLACE DAMPER ACTUATING TOOL 2.072.391 3/1937 Varney, Jr. 29/278 3. 5 2 2 [76] Inventor: Virgie M. Ammons, Cash Valley [97 097 7/196 et a] 94/ 6 Rd., Eglon, W. Va. 26716 [22] Filed: Aug- 6, 1 74 Primary E.\'aml'nerOthell M. Simpson [21 1 App] NO 495 140 Attorney. Agent. or FirmFredcrick W. Turnbul [52] U.S. Cl. 126/288 [511 Int. Cl. F23L 11/02; F23L 13/00 57 ABSTRA T [58] Field of Search l26/285. 286. 287, 288; I I C 39 27 7 17; 1 0 R, 124 A tool to open and close a fireplace damper and to operate also as a securing means to prevent fluttering 5 References Cited of the damper due to wind.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 524,230 8/1894 Wesson 294/26 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ro'if a2 24 US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,908,633

FIG 2 US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet20f2 3,908,633 I vm Y FIG 3 FIREPLACE DAMPER ACTUATIING TOOL It has been found that dampers installed in fireplaces will flutter and make noises when the chimney is subjected to gusty winds. Also at times the damper will not remain fully shut when there is a pressure difference between the room in which the fireplace is and the chimney since the weight of the damper must be low enough not to require excessive force on the damper operating lever to open the damper. When it is possible for the pressure of air in the room acting on the bottom of the damper to lift the damper even a small amount it is at once clear that there will be a loss of heat in the winter, or a loss of cool air in the summer, either of which will cause a loss of fuel efficiency of the central heating or cooling installation of the house.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a device to block the movement of a fireplace damper when it is closed, the same device also being as a tool to be used to open or close the damper.

Other and further objects and advantages will appear from the following specification taken with the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar elements in the several views and in which: 1

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of a fireplace and chimney with a damper in the open position; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section similar to FIG. 2 but with the damper closed and the device in use to block the damper against opening.

As seen in FIG. 2 a damper is mounted on a pivot 12 in the throat 14 of chimney 16 which lead the smoke from fireplace 18.

The damper 10 is provided with a lug 20 by which it is actuated. The actuating lever 22 is pivoted to a lug 24. A link 26 connects lever 22 to lug 20. A hole 28 at the lower end of lever 22 is provided into which a poker may be introduced to push lever 22 to close the damper or to pull the lever 22 to open the damper The tool of the present invention is seen in FIG. 1 and comprises a shank 30, a head 32, and a foot 34.

When not in use the tool may be hung beside the fireplace.

To close the damper shown in FIG. 2, the foot 34 is inserted in the hole 28 and, using the head 32 as a handle the lever 22 is thrust rearwardly of fireplace 18 into the position shown in FIG. 3 where the link 26 has pulled lug 20 forwardly so that damper 10 pivots to a closed position about pivot 12. It will be noted that the length of the shank 30 is such that when the damper is closed as shown in FIG. 3, the tool head 32 may be wedged against the inner surface of the lintel of the fireplace so that the lever 22 will be forcefully held in the damper-closed position. The head 32 should be considerable length so that when the tool is in place the shank 30 is normal to the lintel to provide rigidity.

FIG. 3 shows the tool in place locking the damper actuating lever and link 22, 26 so that fluctuations of air pressure in chimney 16 can not cause damper 10 to clatter nor can a higher pressure in fireplace 18 as against the pressure in flue 16 cause leakage of air past the damper.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination a fireplace damper of the type mounted in a fireplace having a lintle, said damper being actuated by a lever thrust rearwardly of the fireplace to close the damper and pulled forward to open the damper, an aperture in the end of said lever, and a tool to operate said damper, said tool comprising a shank, a foot at one end of said shank extending at substantially right angles to said shank of a size to removably engage in said aperture in said lever, and an elongated head at the other end of said shank lying in the plane of said foot and said shank, said shank being of such length that when the damper is in its closed position, and the foot of said tool is in said aperture, the tool head may be wedged against the inner surface of the fireplace lintle to lock the damper in its closed position.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the tool head extends a substantial distance on either side of said shank to assure that, in wedged position the said shank extends in a direction normal to the inner surface of the 

1. In combination a fireplace damper of the type mounted in a fireplace having a lintle, said damper being actuated by a lever thrust rearwardly of the fireplace to close the damPer and pulled forward to open the damper, an aperture in the end of said lever, and a tool to operate said damper, said tool comprising a shank, a foot at one end of said shank extending at substantially right angles to said shank of a size to removably engage in said aperture in said lever, and an elongated head at the other end of said shank lying in the plane of said foot and said shank, said shank being of such length that when the damper is in its closed position, and the foot of said tool is in said aperture, the tool head may be wedged against the inner surface of the fireplace lintle to lock the damper in its closed position.
 2. The combination of claim 1 in which the tool head extends a substantial distance on either side of said shank to assure that, in wedged position the said shank extends in a direction normal to the inner surface of the lintel of the fireplace. 